Gold Cup 2025

ICE agents to operate at Club World Cup, SoFi’s Gold Cup opener could be the litmus test for football’s big summer in the US

By Paul Nicholson in Los Angeles

June 13 – U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents will be active at the Club World Cup that kicks off on Saturday at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami and throughout the month-long tournament.

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Andrew Warshaw: Was the pretender to the throne only ever pretending?

Two months ago, when UEFA president Michel Platini was still weighing up whether to run for the top job in world football, it became abundantly clear in the build-up to the FIFA Congress in Sao Paulo that Europe was massively outnumbered in its opposition to a fifth term for Sepp Blatter.

So why did Platini not declare there and then that it was too risky to take on the wily old Swiss? It’s a fair question and one Platini was asked about when he finally announced,

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Matt Scott: Blessed are the weak as enfeebled United now look to inherit the earth

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“Hail, thou that art highly favoured… blessed art thou.” Archangel Gabriel to Mary; Luke 1:28

It has been a purgatorial 12 months or so for Manchester United. So if you are a supporter of theirs it must be tempting to look to a man named Angel Di María as some sort of celestial deliverer for your club. Sure, one Angel does not make a host but it should not be too hard for a £59.7 million player of his quality to make an impact.

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Lawyer calls on FIFA to amend transfer rules to allow free movement of players

FIFA House

By Mark Baber
August 28 – Players who cancel their contracts and move to a new club are frequently being caught up paperwork that prevents them actually playing for their new club while they wait for an International Transfer Certificate (ITC) to be issued. Delays can be long as national association refuse to deliver the ITC on the instructions of the former club, creating difficulties in registering the player with his new club and thus impeding his right to play.

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Australia bans live streaming for FFA Cup

Westfield FFA Cup

By Mark Baber
August 28 – The inaugural edition of Australia’s FFA Cup has run into controversy as Football Federation Australia insist that no live streaming of games is allowed, even though only two games in the Round of 16 will be broadcast live on Fox Sports.

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